Bean harvester

ABSTRACT

Harvester for beans and the like having a mobile support for parallel rows of bean plants, a pair of convex laterally disposed disks rotatably mounted on the support having peripheral notches, and being spaced apart and spaced to correspond substantially to the spacing of adjacent plant rows, and having their axes tilted transversely and rearwardly and having their convex faces adjacent their peripheries adapted to ride on the ground inwardly and forwardly of the disk centers, means for rotating the disks so their adjacent peripheries move rearwardly at the approximate forward speed of the support, stripper means overlying the adjacent areas of each disk adapted to move the plants of two rows into a common windrow between the disks, stripper plates disposed over the concave sides of each of the disks in an area opposite to the stripper bar areas, and a floating spring counterbalance support connected to the mobile support employing parallelogram linkages.

United States Patent 1 June 27, 1972 Sheckler [S4] BEAN HARVESTER [72]Inventor: Addison C. Sheckler, Bonta Bridge Road RrD. ll, Cato, N.Y.13033 [22] Filed: May 22, 1970 [2|] Appl No: 39,841

[52] U.S.Cl ..l7l/58 [Si] Int. Cl. ..A0ld 25/04 [58] Field olSeareh-l7l/50-58;

Primary ExaminerAntonio F. Guida Attorney-F. P. Keiper [57] ABSTRACTHarvester for beans and the like having a mobile support for parallelrows of bean plants, a pair of convex laterally disposed disks rotatablymounted on the support having peripheral notches, and being spaced apartand spaced to correspond substantially to the spacing of adjacent plantrows, and having their axes tilted transversely and rearwardly andhaving their convex faces adjacent their peripheries adapted to ride onthe ground inwardly and forwardly of the disk centers, means forrotating the disks so their adjacent peripheries move rearwardly at theapproximate forward speed of the support, stripper means overlying theadjacent areas of each disk [56] References Cited adapted to move theplants of two rows into a common win- UNITED STATES PATENTS drow betweenthe disks, stripper plates disposed over the concave sides of each ofthe disks in an area opposite to the 3,306,017 2/l967 Wells..'..56/l2l.45 stripper bar areas, and a floating spring counterbalancesup- 3,257,787 6/l966 Wells MSG/121.45 port connected to the mobilesupport employing parallelo- 389,348 9/1888 Whilden ..l7l/53 gramlinkages,

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures I25 g I30 I23 lZi 24 a if A w 22 PHENTEDJumm2 3.672.451

SHEET 10F 4 74 5% i 7 7O 56 5 5a 56 54 52 3 I238 f -l v ia 4 2 a TOILFXLTER f 8 BY PASS I RETURN HEADER/ 64 e a 64 FLOW CONTROL HYDRAULICVALVE 230 232 234 (PRESSURE 2 6 a 62 COMPENSATED) ROTARY FLOW DlVl DER mINVENTOR.

ADDISON C,SHECKLER.

ATTORNEV PHENTEDJUMN #972 3,6 72 4 5 l SHEET u or 4 INVENTOR. ADDISONCSHECKLER FIGS BY ATTORNEY BEAN HARVESTER This invention relates toharvesters for beans, soy beans, black turtle soup beans and the like.

More particularly the invention contemplates the use of a mobileharvester having rotary peripherally notched dished disks, working inpairs and set at suitable opposed angles for pulling laterally at groundlevel two rows of bean plants and disposing the loose plants in a singlewindrow. A plurality of pairs may be provided, suitably spacedtransversely so as to cooperate the plurality of pairs of rows of beanplants uniformly and correspondingly spaced along the length of theharvest area. The invention is further directed toward providing arelatively floating action to maintain the harvest disks with aperipheral area thereof substantially tangential with the ground, anddrive means for the disks adapted to establish peripheral velocitiescommensurate with the rate of movement of the apparatus in harvesting.The apparatus is simple and effective.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear morefully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understoodthat the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and arenot designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIG. I is a perspective front view of the apparatus;

FIGv 2 is a side view of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the apparatus takensubstantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of one end of the front of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view ofa pair of gathering disks; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic circuit Referring to thedrawings, there is shown in FIG. 1, apparatus for pulling bean plants,such as navy beans and the like arranged in rows, the apparatus beingadapted to pull six uniformly spaced rows and gather the six rows inthree windrows of pulled bean plants. As can be seen in FIGS. 1-4, thereis provided a heavy tubular transverse bar 20 affixed to side arms 22and 24, which extend rearwardly to pivotal mountings 26 and 28 of thetractor propelled gathering apparatus disposed to the rear of the bar20. Rigidly aflixed to the bar 20 and depending therefrom are rigidangle sectioned members 30 and 32, arranged in pairs and from whichextend rearwardly parallelogram linkages 33 and 35, each including links34 and 36, and 38 and 40, that are pivotally attached to floating arms42 and 44.

The links 36 and 40 may be in the form of a U member having a connectingportion 46.

The lower ends of each pair of arms 42 and 44 are rigidly connected by atubular transverse bar 48 having a forward extending bearing bracket 50,in which is journalled a shaft such as 52 or 54, each having a segmentalspherical gathering disk such as 56 or 58. Supported above each of thebearing brackets is a coupling housing 60 having hydraulic motors 62 and64 mounted thereon for driving the shafts 52 and 54.

As can be seen in FIGS. I and 4, the disks 56 and 58 are disposed inpairs, each pair of disks being shown in front elevation in FIG. 5, andside elevation in FIGS. 2 and 3. The bearing brackets 50 are set atangles such that shaft 52 inclines downwardly to the right about IO"from the vertical while shaft 54 inclines downwardly to the left aboutEach of the bearing brackets are also set so the shafts 52 and 54project downwardly and rearwardly about degrees from the vertical.

Each of the dished disks 56 and 58 are preferably identical, and inpractice are circular spherical segments, the peripheral diameter ofwhich may be about 22 inches with a dish depth of about 2% to 3% inches.The peripheral edge of each of the disks is provided with a plurality ofarcuate deep notches 66.

The lateral and rearward inclination of the axes of the disks is such asto render a portion of each disk close to the peripheral edge thereof,tangential to the ground level. Each of the disks of each of the threepairs rotate oppositely in the direction of the arrows A and B, andground friction about 3 inches, to the right of the center of disk 58,and about 3 inches to the left of center of disk 56 (see FIG. 5), tendsto rotate the disks, which are additionally powered by the hydraulicmotors 62 and 64, which drive the disks through speed reducing gearing,such that the adjacent peripheral edges of a pair of disks, as seen inFIG. 5, move rearwardly at about the speed of forward motion of theapparatus or combine.

Supported from the bearing bracket 50 for each of the disks are rightand left stripper bars 70 and 72 in the form of stiff rods, whichoverlie their respective disks 56 and 58 of each pair, the barsextending forwardly, and thence spirally outward over their respectivedisks, to move the plants, pulled by the pair of disks, into a commonsingle windrow disposed along a line intermediate of each pair ofcooperating disks. Also supported from the bearing brackets 50 arestripper plates 74 and 76 which overlie their respective disks 56 and 58on the opposite side from said bars 70 and 72. The lower edges of theplates 74 and 76 closely conform to the curvature of the concave sidesof their respective disks and are curved to cam the rocks and debrisfrom the disks. The plates are of a suita ble height to clear the disksof any dirt, stones or rocks continuously, causing the same to bedischarged from the disks laterally of the location of the pair of plantrows being approached for pulling.

The weight of each of the disks and its driving motor iscounter-balanced by diagonal springs 80 extending across theparallelogram linkages as shown, and such springs are effective tosubstantially counterbalance the weight,without providing any liftingforce sufficient to allow the disks to rise from the ground. The levelat which the forward ends of the arms 22 and 24 are maintained isdetermined by a pair of broad tread ground engaging caster wheels 82 and83 mounted on the lower end of struts 84 and 86, suitably spaced so asto avoid contact wifli rows of plants to one side of the apparatus yetto be harvested.

While the beam 20 with its floating mounts for the cooperating pairs ofdisks 56 and 58 may be mounted upon a tractor or other suitableapparatus, to provide apparatus to pull an adjacent pair of rows of beanplants in pairs and dispose the same in a single windrow, it is alsodesirable to apply the gathering or pulling apparatus forward of acombine adopted to gather and separate the beans, and of a width capable of covering as many as six rows of bean plants in each pass over thefield, such apparatus comprising three pairs of puller disks, each pairof which acts to establish a windrow of pulled plants.

As shown in the drawings, the combine is provided with a pickupapparatus 89 having a forward multiple tine sweeper drum 90 driven inthe direction of arrow C and having a plurality of sweeping tines 92which project radially from drum and between relatively closely spacedarcuate stiff guide rods 94, which are rearwardly supported from atransverse member 96 disposed beneath and behind the sweeper. The guiderods 94 extend up and around the drum 90 and extend rearwardly to apoint overlying a polygonally sectioned drum 98 disposed behind the drum90, and rotating in the direction of arrow D. The tines 92 are mountedon transverse rocker bars 100, which maintain the tines radial duringthe sweeping portion of the operation. The rocker bars 100 are camactuated so as to cause the tines to maintain a vertical position as isindicated at 92' as they recede downwardly behind the drum 90, so as toclear the drum 98, after which the bars 100 are cammed to restore thetines to a radial position for sweeping action. The camming apparatusthus employed is well understood in the art.

The shaft 91 of the sweeper drum 90 is journalled at its ends in sideplates such as 93 which extend forwardly from their pivotal mounting onshaft 108 of the roll 98. The height of the drum above the ground iscontrolled by side chains and 97 extending upwardly to the arms 22 and24.

Behind the polygonal roll 98 is a cylindrical roll 104 rotatingclockwise as seen in FIG. 3, and driven from a belt drive 106 havingpulleys located on the far side of the apparatus on the ends of theshafts 108 and 110 on which the rolls 98 and 104 are mounted.

The drum 90, rolls 98 and 104 are suitably spaced to permit stones andforeign matter to drop from the plants or vines travelling rearwardlythereabove to the tined and helically bladed gathering drum 120. Thedrum rotates counter clockwise, as is indicated by arrow B to move theharvest laterally to the center and onto the upwardly inclined chute124, over which is located a conveyor elevator apparatus 126 with flightbars 127.

The drum has oppositely pitched spiral blades 12] and 123 at itsopposite ends to move the harvest to the center area, and sweeping tines125, to deliver the harvest to the elevator 126. The tines 125 mayrecede to assist stripping through eccentric carn means schematicallyindicated at 129. The conveyor 126 is disposed in a housing having acover 128, and delivers the vines and beans to separating apparatus inthe power tractor I30. The bars 22 and 24 are pivoted on the pickupapparatus 28 which apparatus is pivoted on tractor 130 on axis to therear of 26 and 28. The tractor is provided with a pair of hydrauliclyactuated forwardly extending push bars such as 131, which project intosockets such as 133 affixed to the opposite sides of the pick upapparatus as at 135. By hydraulicly thrusting the bars [3] forward, theentire forward end of the pickup apparatus may be pivotally raisedsufficiently to clear ground obstacles for transport.

Each of the side arms 22 and 24 is in part resiliently supportedintermediate of their length by coil springs and I42, the lower end ofwhich bear against perches such as 144, and the upper ends of which bearagainst seats I46 pivotally secured to the respective arms 22 and 24.Concentrically disposed within the spring is an upwardly extending pushrod 148, the upper end of which rides telescopically in a tubular socket150. When the pickup apparatus 89 is lifted from the ground fortransport, the upper end of the push rod 148 is moved upward within thesocket 150 to engage the upper end of the socket, and thereafter,further lifting of the apparatus 89 lifts the arms 22 and 24, to liftthe caster wheels 82 and 83 and the forward gathering disks from theground.

On opposite sides of the gathering apparatus 89 are bars 151 and 152having struts 154 and 156 secured to the side panels l58 and 160 of thegathering apparatus From the forward ends of the bars are support chains162 and 164 which extend to the side plates such as 93 on either sidewhich pivotally support the sweeper drum forwardly of, and upon theshaft [08 of the octagonal drum. Either of the chains 95 and 97 haveinterposed along their length a tension sensing apparatus, or 17l fromwhich indications are transmitted by communication cables 172 or 173 tothe cab of the tractor.

The drive for the drums may be from the powered driven shaft I22 of theconveyor [26 through a chain 188 and sprockets 190 and I92, with idler194, and a crossed belt drive 196 from a pulley 198 on the shaft 200ofdrum 120 to a pulley 202 on the shaft 108. The sweeper drum 90 isdriven from the shaft 108 by a sprocket chain and sprockets, 204, 206and 208.

The two motors of each pair of gathering disks may be hydrauliclyconnected in series, and the three pairs of motors 230, 232 and 234connected in parallel through a flow divider and to a source ofcontrollable high pressure oil, such having a reservoir 238 and pump240. By a pressure compensated bypass and flow control valve 242, theoil may be allowed to bypass the motors to any degree to vary the speed.The oil returns to the tank through the return header 244 and oil filterand bypass 246.

The apparatus harvests directly requiring no preparatory work, and alsono risk due to leaving beans in a windrow through possible adverseweather. lt is possible to harvest beans while part of the leaves arestill on the plant since the bean pod will dry and even though the plantcontains moisture this does not bother the harvesting. it is possible tomove any place in the field if such conditions as mud limit the work,this is not possible where operations are done in a sequential manner.It is possible to harvest beans in heavy mud or grass infestations. Thisis true because of the nature of the bean plant and the nature of theharvester. The bean plant at maturity has only a tap root about 3-4inches long consequently, the harvester pulls the plant and due to thetilt of the discs, lifts it clear of the dirt. On the other hand weedsand grass are well anchored in the ground and the disc cuts them off andagain no dirt comes into the machine. Previous methods pulled weeds,roots and all and with large amounts of dirt. Also in bad weedinfestations, the beans frequently were buried and lost due to the largeamounts of dirt handled.

The action of the harvester follows. The disc is held tilted in thedirection of travel and towards the row so that the disc isapproximately tangent to the ground and the forward motion of themachine helps rotate the disc. The assembly floats on the ground. Thedisc is rotated by a hydraulic motor and this adds whatever energy isnecessary above that imparted by the forward motion. The bean plant isgripped by the notches on the disc and is carried sideward and liftedupward out of the dirt. The velocity of the disc is such that thevelocity at the edge tangent to the direction of motion of the machineis the same as the velocity of the machine and the velocity of the beanplant is zero. The plant is removed from the disc edge by the stripperbars 70 and 72 and then is left in a windrow or proceeds into theharvester depending on the machine configuration. Some dirt is lifted bythe disk about 270 and then meets stripper plates 74 and 76 which causesthe dirt to be discarded. Where adjacent rows overlap, lifters 260extending forward of the disks may be provided to pull the adjacent rowsapart immediately before gathering.

While a single fonn of the invention with a modification has beenillustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited thereto. As various changes in the construction andarrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, referencewill be had to the appended claims for a definition ofthe limits of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A harvester for beans and the like comprising a mobile supportadapted to move along at least two parallel rows of bean plants, a pairof convex laterally disposed spherical segmental puller disks rotatablymounted on said support through floating parallelogram linkage means,one for each disk, said disks each having peripheral notches, and beingspaced apart and spaced to correspond substantially to the spacing of apair of plant rows, said disks having drive shafts journalled in hearingbrackets with their axes tilted transversely and oppositely in the orderof 10 and rearwardly in the order of 20, each linkage means having meansto substantially counter balance the puller disks, the disks havingtheir convex faces adjacent their peripheries adapted to ride on theground inwardly and forwardly of the disk centers, separate power meansincluding speed reducing gearing for rotating each of the disks mountedon each of said hearings to drive adjacent peripheries of said disks tomove rearwardly at the approximate forward speed of the support,stripper bars overlying the adjacent areas of each disk adapted to movethe plants of two rows into a common windrow between the disks, andfixed stripper plates disposed over the concave sides of each of saiddisks in an area opposite to the stripper bar areas to clear debris fromthe disks.

2. A harvester in accordance with claim 1 wherein the disks of a pairare oppositely driven by hydraulic motors connected in series.

3. A harvester in accordance with claim 1 wherein the mobile support isprovided with a plurality of pairs of disks laterally disposed andwherein there is provided gathering apparatus behind the disks to liftthe windrows from the ground for delivery to mobile bean separatingapparatus.

1. A harvester for beans and the like comprising a mobile supportadapted to move along at least two parallel rows of bean plants, a pairof convex laterally disposed spherical segmental puller disks rotatablymounted on said support through floating parallelogram linkage means,one for each disk, said disks each having peripheral notches, and beingspaced apart and spaced to correspond substantially to the spacing of apair of plant rows, said disks having drive shafts journalled in bearingbrackets with their axes tilted transversely and oppositely in the orderof 10* and rearwardly in the order of 20*, each linkage means havingmeans to substantially counter balance the puller disks, the diskshaving their convex faces adjacent their peripheries adapted to ride onthe ground inwardly and forwardly of the disk centers, separate powermeans including speed reducing gearing for rotating each of the disksmounted on each of said bearings to drive adjacent peripheries of saiddisks to move rearwardly at the approximate forward speed of thesupport, stripper bars overlying the adjacent areas of each disk adaptedto move the plants of two rows into a common windrow between the disks,and fixed stripper plates disposed over the concave sides of each ofsaid disks in an area opposite to the stripper bar areas to clear debrisfrom the disks.
 2. A harvester in accordance with claim 1 wherein thedisks of a pair are oppositely driven by hydraulic motors connected inseries.
 3. A harvester in accordance with claim 1 wherein the mobilesupport is provided with a plurality of pairs of disks laterallydisposed and wherein there is provided gathering apparatus behind thedisks to lift the windrows from the ground for delivery to mobile beanseparating apparatus.